Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee
I really didn’t want to let this one slip through the cracks, but it appears like it has, as it’s now almost two months since the album came out before I’m writing this. Japanese Breakfast has become one of the most popular and lauded indie acts currently, and are even killing it outside of music. The lead singer’s biography reached number two on the NYT best sellers list, and has now been picked up for a movie. Jubilee is easily their most popular album, and it’s easily apparent why. The songwriting on here is sharp, the instrumentals are lush, and her voice works over every type of song. There are the uplifting summer anthems of “Slide Tackle” and “Be Sweet”, but there are also beautiful ballads like “Posing in Bondage” and “Posing for Cars”. I will say, this album hasn’t fully connected with me like it has many people, but Jubilee is an album I think everyone should listen to. This is a rare project where I think just about anyone would find something to enjoy here.
Sault - Nine
If being an anonymous group who drops multiple projects each year wasn’t enough, this album is only available on streaming services for 99 days since it’s release. If you're reading this the day I post it, there’s currently only 68 days until the album is gone, except for downloads and physical copies. It’s another look into their timeless R&B and soul stylings and as always, impeccable percussion. The grooves on here are just as tight as ever. Tracks like “Bitter Streets” and the first half of “Trap Life” are some of the most obvious examples. The vocals are a bit more abstract here, with a lot of these songs being just a repeated chorus and sometimes only chants. But when they do pull out the sung vocals, it always hits. “Alcohol” has a gorgeous bassline and keys that are heavily reminiscent of D’angelo, and the singer hits all the right melodies and notes to pair with the instrumental perfectly. She’s also the highlight on the final two tracks of the project, even though neither are as showstopping as their previous material. Nine does feel a bit messier than their previous projects, which leaves me a bit unsure on how it will age in their catalogue, but it’s another fantastic entry into their discography, even if it is only for a short period of time.
Vince Staples - Vince Staples
Vince Staples has been extremely honest in his music. He tells the horrors of growing up in Long Beach, but also tends to have lots of forward thinking and upbeat production. This self-titled album is easily his most downtrodden and introspective project yet. He collaborates once again with producer Kenny Beats, but this project sounds completely different from FM. FM was a concept album meant to mimic a west coast radio station, but this project sounds like 20 minutes of journal entries. His enthusiasm is at an all time low and it almost sounds like he’s mumbling at points. The lyrics on here paint one of the most harrowing depictions of living in gang territory I’ve ever heard. Line after line is just devastating to listen to. Whether it’s a straightforward line like, “We dying broke or live with broken hearts,” or a slightly more detailed one like, “Hanging on them corners, same as hanging from a ceiling fan. When I see my fans, I’m too paranoid to shake they hands,” the emotion always pours through the tracks. Now, obviously the dark over and undertones makes the project hard to listen to, especially compared to his previous work. Either way it’s still a fantastic follow up after years of silence from an artist wise beyond his years.
Tkay Maidza - Last Year Was Weird Vol. 3
Tkay released one of the most enjoyable EPs of 2020 with the second volume in this series, and in just under a year, the third and final volume is here! I’m not sure it actually lives up to the previous project, but it’s not far behind. Once again, she combines some lighthearted pop songs with the trunk-rattling bangers, but there are some differences here. The project opens with a sample, which is something she’s never used before, but it brings a new energy to the project. The same thing happens on the hard-hitting “High Beams”, except I think the producer is just using his own vocals manipulated into a harrowing sample that would fit perfectly on a Conway project. “Cashmere” is one of the best tracks on the project as well, and might be one of the prettiest choruses that Tkay has ever made! This one is more sonically diverse than her other project, but it does make it feel a bit all over the place. All in all, another fantastic, easily enjoyable project from one of the most diverse newcomers!
Genesis Owusu - Missing Molars (SWNT Deluxe)
Genesis Owusu made one of the best albums of 2021 so far, and this is a collection of five new tracks added onto the deluxe. They were all made in the same sessions as the original album last year, but these tracks were originally left on the cutting room floor. The single for this project still easily stands out in terms of sound, and “Same Thing” still stands as one of my favorite tracks of this year! That song is an uplifting funk anthem, while the rest of these new songs are extremely dark and overbearing. “The Fall” kicks off this project with a heavy electronic banger that sounds like the audio equivalent of a panic attack, especially with the line, “I can’t feel ok. The fall might come today.” The heavy rock chords of “What Do I Fear?” and “Crosses” both hit perfectly and have enough uniqueness about them to make Genesis continue being unique. I’m not sure I’ll listen to these tracks within the same context as the original, but Missing Molars makes for a fantastic companion piece with the original.
Yves Tumor - The Asymptomatical World
Yves Tumor is someone I feel like I should love, but I just don’t yet. This new EP, The Asymptomatical World, feels as close as I’ve gotten to loving a full project by them. There are plenty of fantastic tracks on here that will get a lot of replay value! “Jackie” and “Crushed Velvet” both sound like they could be played on the radio, but there’s enough noisiness around them to make them stand out from the rest of that sound. The dejected “Katrina” has some incredibly dark instrumental builds that close out the project on a fantastic note! In fact, the instrumentals all over this project are extremely detailed, rock and punk oriented, and would definitely be considered experimental for the most part. There’s just something about Yves’s vocals that don’t always connect with me. There are even tracks on here where they don’t sing at all, and instead just lets a feature take control of the track. Also, a couple of the tracks feel a bit too short and like they aren’t finished, which is a weird experience for a six song EP. The Asymptomatical World is already growing on me after a few listens, and I hope this becomes the project that fully opens me up to one of the most unique voices currently in rock.
Doja Cat - Planet Her
Doja’s popularity has exploded in the past couple years. Despite the album itself not having much critical acclaim, Hot Pink gave Doja multiple hits that turned her from an internet meme into a full blown popstar. Less than two years later and she’s back with another album, Planet Her. I was hoping that the newfound fame would give her more resources to make a better project, but unfortunately, this doesn’t feel like a large step up. It’s still a better project, but it also just feels like a collection of singles. There’s no flow to this project, nothing that will pull in new fans outside of the radio, and not much further experimentation. Instead, it feels like 14 tracks attempting to create the next big hit, and there’s enough here that could give her a couple. “Kiss Me More” with SZA is still rising the charts after being released two months ago, and is still one of the best pop songs of the year! “Payday” with Young Thug also feels like it could become a hit in the hip hop atmosphere, especially with the high pitched Young Thug feature. “Get Into It (Yuh)” has another extremely catchy chorus while using the baby voice, which is gaining popularity right now. “You Right” with The Weeknd is being billed as the next hit, but it hasn’t taken off authentically. I also want to mention the fact that Doja put JID on the same album as Ariana Grande and The Weeknd, which will hopefully just raise his profile even more. I hope Doja will someday make a true album instead of just a collection of singles, but there’s enough here to make sure that likely won’t happen.
G Herbo - 25
G Herbo was one of the originators of the Chicago Drill scene. His debut mixtape, Welcome to Fazoland, became one of the most beloved projects from that sound. Since then, he’s evolved past the harder drill sound and has branched out to work with more producers, and his maturity level has increased tenfold. As the title suggests, G Herbo’s only 25 years old, but the maturity that comes with seeing your friends get killed every year due to gun violence comes with some consequences. Even the word “Fazoland” from the aforementioned project comes from a deceased friend of his lost to gun violence. Even on 25, the first two songs are called “I Don’t Wanna Die” and “Cry No More”. There’s no escaping the atrocities on a G Herbo album, and the way his emotion bleeds through is always heartbreaking. It’s hard to even talk about because it’s such a horrible thing that’s happening, but at least G Herbo is strong enough to try and educate people on the real life effects of what’s happening. There’s barely anyone else in this genre that can emotionally compete with tracks like “Trenches Know My Name” and “Cold World”. For fans of Herbo, 25 is another offering of the same type of music his Southside collab tapes were, but this is also a good entry point for non-fans.
Pop Smoke - Faith
Faith is Pop Smoke’s second posthumous album, and the tracklist had me pretty worried. There were features from Pharrell, Kanye, 21 Savage, Kid Cudi, two Pusha T features, and so many more. Now, that sounds like a fantastic album, but with an artist who’s passed away, all those features left me worried that this would sound like demos that they just gave the featured artists to finish. Unfortunately, the fears were right. That doesn’t mean this is a terrible project, it’s not, but we really didn’t need to hear most of these songs. There were some highlights though. “Brush Em” with Rah Swish is another pure drill track with them trading bars throughout much of the track. “More Time” actually has a beautiful and cinematic backing instrumental and Pop Smoke sounds very hungry over it. Pop Smoke and 21 Savage absolutely murder “Bout A Million”, but 42 Dugg doesn’t seem to know what to do over a drill beat. “What’s Crackin’” with Takeoff is a pretty straightforward banger, but enjoyable nonetheless. As for the rest of this project, it’s easily forgettable and feels almost like a cash grab. While Faith wasn’t terrible, I don’t think they should put out any more albums by Pop Smoke because they’re clearly running out of finished material on the same level as his officially released work.
Zelooperz - Van Gogh’s Left Ear
Zelooperz is pretty separated from the group now, but he got his start a part of the Detroit hip hop collective Bruiser Brigade, helmed by Danny Brown. This project seems like it follows the formula of the other Bruiser Brigade projects this year, and it shows another extremely unique artist on the label! Even from the opener “Battery”, it’s clear no one else sounds like Zelooperz. It’s a minute-long, experimental, Atlanta trap banger with vocal inflections that sound completely random. The beat is full of deep bass and those trap hi hats, but also have some absolutely warped samples that no one else would do. The title track is equally as random, but it’s a demented version of the trap sound currently dominating the Detroit sound with people like Sada Baby and Teejayx6. There’s also just some songs that barely make sense, like the track “Bash Bandicoon” with Danny Brown, which is just them rapping over a Crash Bandicoot sample. Either way, there’s no arguing that Zelooperz is truly one of a kind, and Van Gogh’s Left Ear is one of his best projects in a while.
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